


Twenty-three

by broken_stone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 08:42:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6463450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_stone/pseuds/broken_stone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We can talk about us.” James said. “Let’s talk about us. What do you want to talk about?” Something in his tone caused Teddy to stiffen, shoulders braced. “That time you told me you loved me, took my virginity and then disappeared?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twenty-three

“Did you sleep with him?” Teddy’s heart sank, knowing in that moment that he had no defense that they could accept. Harry’s voice was unforgiving. He stood facing his godson, face tight, hands clenched.

 

“I understand that you’re upset-”

 

“Teddy, you haven’t begun to see upset. Did you sleep with my son?” Teddy looked past Harry to where James sat on the couch, kept silent by Ginny’s warning glare.

 

“Teddy!” He had never heard Harry’s voice so hard. Teddy’d always had trouble imagining his godfather as the man who defeated Voldemort, but in this moment he saw with perfect clarity the warrior his godfather had become during the war.

 

“Yes,” he admitted, voice trembling. “But it’s not like-”

 

“Not like you took advantage of my teenage son?” Ginny’s voice was frigid, and just as hard as Harry’s was.

 

“No one took advantage of me!” James cried. “If anything, I did. I pushed him-”

 

“James!” Teddy interrupted. “Stop it, they’re right.”

 

“The hell they are!”

 

“You’re sixteen years old!” Harry roared. “He is seven years older than you!”

 

“I don’t see why that makes any difference!”

 

“James!” Teddy shouted, and the younger boy fell silent at his tone. Teddy turned to Harry, sucking in a deep breath and finally meeting his godfather’s eyes. “You’re right. He’s sixteen and I’m twenty-three, and I had no right to touch him, but I’m not going to say I’m sorry,” he declared defiantly. “I love him. I’ve loved him forever, and I don’t plan on that changing.” He met James’ eyes, bright with indignation. “That won’t ever change.” He tore his gaze away to meet Harry’s. “I’ll go. I’m sorry, I’ll go.” Teddy turned and fled, leaving James to face his parents.

 

“You made him leave! You-”

 

“James! We aren’t going to argue about this!” Harry roared, Ginny rising to stand by his side.

 

“James, Teddy is much older than you. He can’t be allowed to take advantage of you.”

 

“The age of consent is sixteen!”

 

“This isn’t about the age of consent, James! You are still our son-”

 

“And how old were you two when you fell in love? You weren’t any older than I am!”

 

“That’s different, James! Your father and I are only a year apart in age.”

 

“Yeah, it’s different!” James scorned. “Because you’re a woman and he’s a man, right?”

 

“James,” his father cut in quietly. “That’s not what this is about. You’re our son and we love you and if you decide that-”

 

“Decide!”

 

“James, your sexuality doesn’t matter to us. It doesn’t change how much we love you, and we aren’t angry that you were involved with another man-”

 

“It’s not another man! It’s Teddy! Your godson,” he shouted, finger pointed at Harry.

 

“And you’re my son!” Harry shouted, subsiding when Ginny patted his arm.

 

“If he loves you, James, if it’s meant to be, it’ll still be there when you’re older,” Ginny placated.

 

“I don’t want to wait! I know what I want, I know how I feel!”

 

“James!”

 

“No! I love Teddy and he loves me and we’re not going to let you do this. You can’t keep us apart,” he cried, running out of the room and storming up the stairs to his bedroom. They couldn’t keep them apart, James thought. He and Teddy would be together.

 

***

 

James carried his paper grocery bags down the hall, reaching into his pocket for his keys. He balanced the bags against the wall, bending to try and open the door to his apartment.

 

“James,” he heard a voice whisper, and glanced up, unconcerned. Moody would be disappointed with him, he thought. So much for constant vigilance.

 

He didn’t react at the sight of Teddy standing in the shadow of his hallway, just glanced back down at the door and finally managed to get it to open. He tossed the keys through the open doorway to land on the floor, hauling his bags up and towards the kitchen. “Close the door behind you,” he called out, already unpacking. He ranged produce along the counter, looking up when Teddy entered the room. “Do you want something to drink? I have butterbeer.”

 

“No,” Teddy answered, wiping his sweaty hands on his jeans. He tucked his hands into his pockets, unsure of himself.

 

“You can take your jacket off, if you’re staying. Just toss it anywhere, it doesn’t matter.” James grabbed a cutting-board out of a cupboard and started chopping onions, watching Teddy idly as the man divested himself of his jacket.

 

“I’m making dinner. There’s enough.” Teddy nodded silently, watching as James hauled out a skillet and started melting butter.

 

“Can I do anything to help?”

 

James hauled another cutting board out, shoving a bag of potatoes at Teddy, before tossing the onions in the skillet.

 

“Cut those.”

 

“You learned how to cook.” James nodded, chopping thoughtfully. “Why don’t you use-”

 

“I like to do it this way.” James filled a pot with water, preparing the meal with a quiet confidence that Teddy had to notice and admire. He managed to burn everything he cooked, inexplicably, and had consequently learned to appreciate the taste of ash. Twenty minutes later the meal was ready, and James set three full plates down on the table just as a barefoot young man with dark hair wandered in to sit with them. Teddy stiffened, gaze swinging to James’. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know there was anyone-” he broke off, standing. “I can go.”

 

James didn’t seem to react, and Teddy reached for his coat and headed for the front hall of the apartment. This was a mistake, he thought miserably. Why did he come here? He couldn’t exactly turn back time.

 

“Hey!” he heard called behind him as he shrugged his coat on in the hallway. “You’re leaving?” the dark-haired boy had followed him to the door. He stood behind Teddy, hands casually draped in his pocket. He’s very attractive, Teddy admitted to himself, resigned.

 

“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry, I didn’t know he wasn’t alone-”

 

“So you’re going to run away? Again?”

 

Teddy stiffened at his tone. “Look, I don’t know what you think you know-”

 

“I know you left. Caused a scene with his family and then disappeared for seven years without telling anyone you were leaving or where you were going.”

 

“It’s more complicated-”

 

“And it’s none of my business. Go finish your dinner. James!” the stranger called. “I forgot, I was supposed to have dinner with my parents. I’ll probably stay there tonight.” He shoved his feet in a pair of shoes that were resting by the door, brushing past Teddy to use the floo in the living room. Teddy hesitated in the hallway, then shrugged his coat off and rejoined James at the table.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean interrupt earlier. Uh, your boyfriend seems-”

 

“Hugo Weasley.”

 

“Weasley?” Teddy asked incredulously.

 

“He dyes his hair black to piss his parents off. He’s an angry soul, our Hugo. All quiet rebellion.”

 

“Uh, yeah.”

 

“What are you doing here, Teddy?” James asked, voice hard but not angry.

 

“I wanted to see you.”

 

“That’s fine. Should I bother telling anyone I saw you, or are you leaving again right away?”

 

“I’m not sure.” James nodded absently, standing up and carrying his dishes to the sink. “I wanted to talk to you.”

 

“What about?

 

“Us. James, I don’t know if you’re with anyone-”

 

“We can talk about us.” Teddy sighed, confused and frustrated at being cut off once more. “Let’s talk about us. What do you want to talk about?” Something in his tone caused Teddy to stiffen, shoulders braced. “That time you told me you loved me, took my virginity and then disappeared?”

 

Shock held Teddy still for a moment, that emotion quickly giving way to anger as he shoved himself to his feet. “I did love you! Gods, James, you make it sound like-”

 

James turned around to look at Teddy, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed. “You were using me? Funny, I wonder where I got that impression.”

 

“I wasn’t!”

 

“Where the hell have you been for seven years, then, Teddy? And why did you come here today?”

 

“I wanted-”

 

“What? What did you want, Teddy?”

 

“This isn’t going-”

 

“I’m sorry. How was it supposed to go?” James pushed away from the counter to stand in the center of the room, backing Teddy against a wall. “No, really. Tell me how this was supposed to go, maybe I can oblige you. Were we supposed to have some friendly chat over beers about young men and their mistakes, or were you expecting me to fall into your arms at the sight of you?”

 

“No! I just wanted to be able to explain myself!”

 

“So explain yourself. I’ll pretend to be interested.” Teddy shoved away from the wall at this, finally, grabbing James’ shoulders and shoving him back a step. This wasn’t going the way he wanted, but he didn’t have anything to lose and he damned well wasn’t going to leave this time until he had done his best to at least explain himself. Even if he didn’t get James back, he needed to explain himself.

 

“You think I wanted to leave you? I fucking loved you, James!”

 

“Hippogriffs kidnapped against your will.”

 

“Would you shut up? Just shut up and let me explain!”

 

“Do you think that there is anything you can say, anything that you could make me hear that would change anything?”

 

“I loved you! I loved you, and I swore to you that that would never change-”

 

“And then you left, and anything you swore to me went with you,” James interrupted, sharp and determined.

 

Teddy sucked in a pained breath, and stepped back, giving James his space. “Not for me. I keep my promises, James.”

 

“And I suppose you’re still in love with me,” James scorned.

 

“Yeah.” James shook his head, but Teddy kept on. “Yeah, James. There’s not ever going to be anyone else for me.” He reached out to touch James’ arm, but the other boy twisted away, shoving past Teddy towards the living room. Teddy followed him.

 

“James.” James spun at the sound of his voice, and ran his hand raggedly through his hair.

 

“You know what, actually. I don’t want to hear what you have to say, so why don’t you just go, Teddy?”

 

“James,” he whispered quietly. This was his last shot, his last hope. He threw it out, voice trembling. “If you don’t want to hear why I went, won’t you at least hear why I came back?”

 

James stiffened, refusing to meet Teddy’s eye.

 

“Your birthday was last week. You’re twenty three.”

 

He watched James’ eyes fall closed, his fists clench. “No, no, no, no, no,” James murmured, body tense.

 

“James,” Teddy pleaded.

 

“You didn’t. You did not leave me, you did not walk away for seven years to make some stupid point to my parents.”

 

“No. I left for you.”

 

James choked out a laugh. “You left for me.”

 

“Your parents were right.” James shook his head again, refusing to acknowledge what Teddy was saying.

 

“James,” he faltered, eyes stinging. “Please!” And he watched as the other boy broke, eyes opening as he surged forward to grab Teddy.

 

And kiss him, desperately. “No,” he breathed against Teddy’s mouth, “No.” His hand clenched the back of Teddy’s neck, and he broke off to take the kiss deeper, mouth furious and hard on Teddy’s.

 

Teddy pulled away, his breath catching, and rested his forehead against James’, his eyes squeezed shut. “I did it for you,” he whispered brokenly.

 

“You are such a fucking Gryffindor,” James hissed. “I didn’t need you to protect me.”

 

“I had to give you the chance.” James pulled away at that, eyes searching Teddy’s face.

 

“Did you think I’d be happier?” His hands moved to Teddy’s shoulders, and he shook him roughly. “Did you think I’d grow up and fall in love with someone else, some acceptable Gryffindor Head Girl that I could bring home to my parents?”

 

“I don’t know,” Teddy whispered. “I just had to give you a chance, before I asked you to-”

 

“Asked me to what, Teddy?”

 

“You were sixteen, James. You’re it for me, but I had to give you the chance to be sure. To know what you wanted.”

 

“I knew what I wanted then,” James said, leaning in. Teddy shook his head and started to protest, but James quieted him with a kiss. “I know. I understand, I do.” Teddy watched the tension leave the other man, hope dawning bright and furious in his chest. James did understand.

 

“I love you, James,” he whispered fiercely.

 

“I love you too, Teddy,” James whispered back, arms reaching around Teddy’s back to pull him closer. “Are you staying?” Kiss.

 

“If you want me to.”

 

“Just try to leave me again, Theodore Lupin.” Another kiss.

 

“Never. I’m not ever leaving again,” he sighed into James mouth. James’ hands were on his shoulders, James’ mouth was on his, James was here and he was here and they were together. He hadn’t damaged anything irreparably, hadn’t broken anything that couldn’t be fixed.

 

He pulled away, suddenly worried. “I’m still a lot older than you.”

 

“Yeah, thirty. You old man.”

 

“James.”

 

“I know what I want.” Tongues met. James groaned. “Hugo left. There’s no one here but you and me.”

 

“James.”

 

“I’m propositioning you, in case you didn’t notice.” He grinned, backing Teddy through an open door and into a bedroom.

 

“I noticed. James, your parents aren’t going to be pleased.” He fell backwards onto James’ bed, James standing above him. 

 

“Bugger my parents,” James replied as he followed Teddy down.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahaha, I love my old livejournal fic. So fun, and sweet and sometimes terrible. So here I am on AO3, finally, and I'm posting all of my old fic here for posterity, though I don't write much any more.


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